Carrot pudding(gajar ka halwa)

gajar ka halwa

variety of carrots

Carrots are rich in vitamin A, a healthy vegetable medicine for weak eyesight.  There are about 50 varieties of carrots found all over the world . The common cultivated carrots are of two types: the Eastern/Asiatic carrots and Western/carotene carrots.



In India we find most common variety the red and orange carrots(Asiatic carrot). This sweet is mostly prepared with the red carrots as their sweetness level is much higher than the orange ones. So try it and:
 welcome your guests with this sweet gesture!!!!


Picture presentation taken from www.chezshuchi.com (This recipe has been explained nicely along with pictures in this site) 


Ingredients:

500 grams carrots(grated)
1 liter full cream milk
200 grams whole dried milk(khoya)
200 grams sugar(little more)
4 table spoon ghee
For garnishing:
2 tablespoon raisins
                                                    2 table spoon cashew nuts

Method:
Heat ghee in a heavy base kadahi. Add grated carrots and saute for few minutes.

boiling carrots in milk

Add milk and stir well. Let a boil come and lower the flame. let the carrots cook in milk, till the milk
evaporates.(it takes about 40-60 minutes). Stir in between or else the milk will stick to the base.

Carrots after half hour

Add the sugar and grated khoya (Boil a liter milk in a heavy base pan on low flame till the milk evaporates completely leaving the solid content,(it takes about 40-60 minutes).keep stirring in between. the solid content is called khoya/mawa. will get about 250 grams of khoya). Mix well.

adding sugar and khoya

Stir in continuously for few more minutes to let all the ingredients blend well and a nice texture appears.

carrot halwa after 50 minutes

Finally add raisins and cashew nuts for garnishing.

Delicious Gajar ka halwa is ready!!!!

Optional notes:
some people boil the carrots first and then prepare this halwa. This is an easy way with low calorie content in it but the taste of the halwa differs a little.
One can prepare and store this halwa  in advance.

Choco chip cookies

Winter season brings in the celebration of Christmas followed with the coming happy new year, So let us enjoy and welcome the new year with some delicious and tasty dishes enjoyed with our dear ones....!!!

Picture presentation taken from www.chezshuchi.com 

Chocochip cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup refined flour(maida)

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

3-4 tablespoon milk
2-3 tablespoon crushed chocolate pieces

Method:
Preheat the oven at 180 degree.
In a bowl mix the butter and sugar properly with help of a hand blender till it gets light and fluffy.
In another bowl, sieve flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Mix this well too.

Flour, cocoa and baking powder

Add the crushed chocolate to this mixture.
Now mix all the dry and wet ingredients(butter/sugar mixture with the flour mixture) and knead a soft dough.

dough ready for cookies

Use little portions of milk if the dough is drying .
Roll out small balls out of the dough. Press each ball slightly and shape it into a cookie. Sprinkle small portions of crushed chocolate over these raw cookies.
Grease a non stick tray and place the cookies on it providing a space of 5 cm between each cookie.

cookies ready to bake

Bake the cookies in the oven for about 25-30 minutes at 180 degree.

baked cookies

Yummy and chocolaty chocochip cookies are ready!!!. Serve them at tea time with family and dear ones.
Optional notes:
In case cocoa powder is not available one can use drinking chocolate powder.
While making baked items be very sure of the measurements of the ingredients mentioned in the recipe or else the baking would not appear as expected.
One can make variations of cookies by adding dry fruits, hazelnuts, or sesame seeds.
One can prepare cookies in advance and store them in an air tight container for later servings.

Enjoy other recipes for Christmas and new year:

 Assorted chocolates  

 Bread pizza,  

                   

Baked vegetable  

Rice kheer

"Kheer" is one of the most famous sweet dish made  almost in every part of India. You can also consider it as" Rice pudding". Made from rice and milk, this sweet dish is also prepared specially on festival days like "Janmashtami, Deepawali and Shiva ratri"

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rice (any brand of good quality)

1liter full cream milk

6 table spoon sugar

5-6 saffron strands(kesar)

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

1 teaspoon chirauli(chiraunji)

For garnishing:

Rose petals

Few saffron strands

Method:

Wash and soak the rice for half hour in water.

soak the saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk

In a heavy base pan, heat milk and bring it to a boil. Add the saffron milk to it.

Rice kheer after 30 minutes.

Add sugar and stir well. Drain water and add the soaked rice into milk and let it cook for 30- 40 minutes on low flame.(The milk will reduce to half of its quantity)

Finally add the cardamom powder and chiraunji , stir well and remove from flame.

Garnish with rose petals and kesar strands.

Serve it either warm or let it cool in fridge for later serving. Enjoy!!

Optional notes:

full cream milk help in making the rice kheer more creamy and delicious.

To avoid the milk from sticking to the base of the pan, wash the pan with cold water before preparing kheer into it.

One can enrich the kheer by adding a good amount of dry fruits.

Assorted Chocolates

Assorted  Chocolates

" Kuch meetha ho jaye"!!These are home made chocolates which are made from milk solids and dry fruits. So enjoy these chocolates and share them with friends and family during festival season......

Coffee Chocolate

Ingredients:

2 cups milk powder(any brand)

6.5 tea spoon cocoa powder or drinking chocolate powder

1.5 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon coffee

3/4 cup butter(preferably unsalted)

3 tablespoon water

Method:

Coffee, cocoa and milk powder 

Sieve cocoa and milk powder. Add coffee to this mixture. Mix well and keep this dry mixture aside.

 In a kadahi, add sugar and water to make sugar syrup, let it boil on low flame for 2 minute. Add butter and mix well.

preparing sugar syrup

 When the sugar and butter dissolves completely and bubbles starts to appear on the surface, sugar syrup is ready.

To this syrup, add the dry mixture(cocoa, milk and coffee powder)and stir well.

Chocolate paste 

 Keep stirring till it turns into a semi thick paste and start leaving the sides of the kadahi.

Chocolate paste spread  on a tray

Grease a plate or tray and spread this paste on it. Let it cool at room temperature.

Cut square or diagonal shapes(one's choice) when it is completely cool. 

Store in a container and refrigerate  it for longer use. Garnish it with sliced cashew nuts(optional)

Delicious Coffee Chocolate is ready. Enjoy!!

Dry fruits Delight

Ingredients:

2 cups milk powder(any brand)

6.5 tea spoon cocoa powder or drinking chocolate powder

1.5 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup coarsely crushed dry fruits(cashew nuts, raisins, Wall nuts, Almonds, pistachios)

2 tablespoon dry coconut powder 

3/4 cup butter(preferably unsalted)

3 tablespoon water

Method:

 Sieve cocoa and milk powder. Keep it aside

  In a kadahi, add sugar and water to make sugar syrup, let it boil on low flame for 2 minute. Add butter and mix well. 

When the sugar and butter dissolves completely and bubbles starts to appear on the surface, sugar syrup is ready.

To this syrup add The dry ingredients (cocoa and milk powder, dry fruits and coconut powder).Stir well

Keep stirring till it turns into a semi thick paste and start leaving the sides of the kadahi.

Grease a plate or tray and spread this paste on it. Let it cool at room temperature.

Cut into square or diagonal shapes(one's choice) when it is completely cool. 

Store in a container and refrigerate it for longer use.

 Tasty Dry fruits Delight is ready. Enjoy!!

Khajoor ka sheera

"Khajoor" or dates are good source of Vitamin A, Iron and potassium. Enriched with nutritious factors, it is also delicious in taste. So here is its sheera/halwa which could be enjoyed even by those who are restricted of sugar intake. 

"Khajoor ka sheera"

This preparation is for 3 person

Ingredients:
200 grams seedless dates(khajoor)

Seedless dates and khoya

150 grams grated whole dried milk(khoya/mawa)
2 tablespoon powdered sugar(bura)
1 teaspoon ghee

for garnishing:
Almond slices

Method:
Wash and cut the dates. Grind them to form a coarse paste

Blending Khajoor-khoya mixture

In a kadahi, heat the ghee and put the khajoor paste. Saute it for few minutes till it becomes more tender. Now add the grated khoya and mix well. Add the bura(powdered sugar) and mix well again. Continuously saute this mixture for 5 minutes on low flame till all the ingredients blend well.

Healthy and tasty Khajoor sheera is ready!!! Enjoy it
Optional notes:
One can moist the khajoor paste during grinding by sprinkling milk. Do not put much of milk as we require a coarse paste.

Other sweets and desserts Banana Mithai, Shahi Tukda, Gillaori, Besan ladoos,Coconut ladoos

Gulgulay

A special sweet prepared on "Ahoi Ashtami", (Mothers fast on this day for good health and prosper life of their children). They are like sweet pakoras but the difference is they are made from wheat flour and are very light .

Gulgulay

Ingredients:
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoon curd
1/4 cup milk(little more)
2 table spoon dry coconut powder
1 teaspoon fennel seeds(saunf)
1 teaspoon charoli nuts (chiraunji)
2 table spoon black raisins (optional)
ghee for deep frying

Method:

Batter for Gulgulay

Gulgulay deep frying in ghee

In a bowl mix all the ingredients and form a semi thick batter(of pouring consistency). Heat ghee in a kadahi,  put small portions of this batter into the heated ghee and deep fry on low medium flame till the gulgule turn golden brown  from both sides.
Remove and place it on an absorbent paper to drain excess oil.
Tasty gulgule are ready.








more dessert and sweets: Banana Mithai, Shahi Tukda, Gillaori, Besan ladoos, Coconut ladoo

Festival special

Festival season has begun in India. The season begins with joy and fasting for nine days in the honour of Goddess Durga. Dances like  "Garaba" and "Dandiya" are enjoyed by all during Navratri. After Navratri, the festival of lights Diwali or Deepawali knocks our door. 


So let us start preparing our delicacies for this auspicious and enjoyable Festive time!!


Coconut ladoos

Ingredients:

grated cocnut

2 cups grated coconut(250gm)
2 cups grated whole dried milk(mawa/khoya) 250gm
1-1.5 cup sugar/Powdered sugar(bura)
1 teaspoon cardamon powder(ilaechi powder)
1/2 cup crushed pistachios (for garnishing)

Mawa/khoya

Method:
In a kadahi, saute grated coconut for 2-3 minutes on low-medium flame.
Add mawa/khoya to this and saute again for few minutes till the khoya becomes tender.
Now add sugar and keep on string till it dissolves well  into the coconut mixture. Add the cardamon powder and mix well. Let it cool at room temperature.
When the coconut mixture is slightly warm, form shapes of ladoos and garnish them well with pistachios powder.

Tasty Coconut ladoos are ready. Refrigerate these ladoos for longer storage.

More desserts : Banana Mithai, Shahi Tukda, Gillaori, Besan ladoos

Banana mithai

This sweet is prepared with ripe bananas. It is delicious as well as nutritious too. So enjoy this sweet dish in this festive season!!!!

Ingredients:

4 ripe(not very) bananas

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoon ghee

1/2 teaspoon cardamon powder

Coconut powder for garnishing

Method:

Mash/grate banana. In a kadahi, cook banana pulp and sugar till it starts becoming thick. Keep on stirring. Add 2 tablespoon ghee and stir again. When the mixture gets more thicker, add the remaining ghee and continuously stir it. Take a small amount of this mixture on your palm and roll it. If it does not sticks on your palm the sweet is ready. Grease a Thali ( Big plate) with little ghee and spread this mixture on it. Garnish it with coconut powder. Let it cool. Cut it into diamond shapes and serve.

Tasty Banana mithai is ready. 

Gillori- mouthfresher

India is famous for its mouth freshers so here is one of them "Gillori"!!!!

 

Ingredients:

5-6 pieces Dry dates(khajoor)

2 tablespoon kashmir mukhwas

2 tablespoon jamnagar mukhwas

4 tablespoon Rose petals paste(gulukand)

4 tablespoon dry coconut powder(nariyal burada)

3-4 silver foil for garnishing

Method:

Soak dates in water overnight. In morning remove excess water and seeds from the dates. In a bowl mix all the mukhwas and coconut powder. Make a deep cut in the date and fill it with this mixture. garnish it with silver foil. Sprinkle some coconut powder on it finally.

Gillori are ready. Enjoy it after meals with everyone.

Optional notes:

I had used kashmiri and jamnagar mukhwas, one can also use other varities. Gulukand is essential as it increases the sweetness and taste of  Gillori. One can store and keep them for 2 days (if kept in open) and for a week (if kept in fridge)

Besan ladoos with dry fruits

Ladoos made out of gram flour. Very tasty and easy to make.

Ingredients:

4 cup gram flour(besan)

1/4 cup semolina (sooji)

1 cup ghee

2 cups powdered sugar(bhura)

1 teaspoon cardamon powder

1/2 cup crushed dry fruits(cashew nuts, walnuts, raisins, pista, almonds)

Method:

Heat ghee in kadahi,  put sooji and roast till it turns golden brown in colour. To this add besan and roast it too on low flame . This will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes .  The besan is properly roasted when the colour of it changes into golden and a nice aroma starts coming. Add cardamon powder, stir well. Let the besan mixture cool at room temperature.

When the besan mixture is little warm, add bhura & dry fruits and mix well. Take a small amount of this mixture and  make ladoos of  desired size.Garnish with sliced almond pieces.

Besan ladoos are ready.

Optional notes:


I had added sooji to give a crunchy taste and texture to ladoos. My mother in law adds 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder diluted with water into this mixture to enrich its color. Be a little alert during the roasting time of besan or it might burn as it gets roasted quickly.

Sooji ka halwa

Ingredients:


1 cup semolina (sooji)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup ghee
3 cups water
2-3  Green cardamom (ilaechi)
1/4 cup crushed Dry fruits(almonds cashew nuts,raisins)
2 table spoon grated coconut

For garnishing:


4-5 almonds

Method:


In a pan heat water and sugar to make sugar syrup. When sugar dissolves completely in water give a boil and take it off from heat.  In a kadahi, heat ghee and add sooji. Roast sooji on medium flame till it starts turning to light brown in color. Now lower the flame and add the sugar syrup slowly and start stirring it. Leave it for 2-3 minutes with lid on. Now add coconut,crushed dry fruits and cardamom seeds and stir well till it becomes semi dry . Let it cool. Garnish it with sliced almonds.

 Sooji ka halwa is ready for seving.

 Optional notes:


During navratre festival, this dish is mainly prepared for offerings to Goddess Durga. I had added dry fruits and coconut as my family likes them in this dish. One can prepare halwa without adding them too. If you are using roasted sooji , roast it again in ghee only for few seconds, otherwise the sooji will burn. One can also use roasted dry fruits for this dish.

Shahi Toasts

This preparation makes 6 pieces

Ingredients:

 3   Bread slices

 2  cup water

1.5  cup sugar

 3  cardamoms (ilaechi)

6-7  saffron strands  (kesar)

Ghee for deep frying

For garnishing:

2 tablespoon cream (malai)

Dry fruits (cashew nuts,almonds, raisins,pistachio)

Method:

Diagonally cut bread slices into half. Deep fry (in Pure ghee) these slices on medium flame. Extra oil/ghee may be removed from fried slices using absorbing paper towels.

The next step is to prepare sugar syrup by boiling water and sugar. Add powdered cardamom seeds and saffron strands to this syrup. The consistency of syrup should be medium (not very thick). Let the syrup cool.

Dip each slice into this syrup for few seconds till the syrup is absorbed into the slice. The Shahi Toasts are ready.

Place 2 to 3 toasts in a plate, put a teaspoon of cream on each toast and decorate it with sliced dry fruits.

The prepared Shahi Toasts may be taken at normal temperature or may be served after refrigerating them.

Optional notes:

If syrup of Gulab Jamun or Rasgulla sweets is left over, one can use it instead of preparing sugar syrup afresh.